The Czar | Avery Brewing Company

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Avery – one of my first gateway breweries waaaaay back in the day. Sad to see this one go. 22 oz. bottle, my last, split with my wife, batch #14 dated November 2015.

The pour is black, though not as dark as the current batch of crazy ass, liver-banging, tasty-as-breast-milk-in-May batch of Avery stouts. Smells like dark chocolate, dark malts, dark roast.

The Czar – somebody ought to send a case of this to the Donald. Except he’d probably flip it. To the Philippine President. Opens up with a deep sweetness that gets into my gums. The mid-section brings molasses infused with dark fruits, tarred leather, licorice. Supremely smooth & rich: I feel like I should run upstairs & grab my silk bathrobe, fake pipe, & furred slippers. No alcohol; goes down like Megan Rain. Or so I see.

Once a very good beer, always a very good beer. Avery knows how to use the malts to build a big stout, & this is no exception.

Im back again, ye boozers and beer nerds! It has been a while (work is a demanding whore, so check me out on Untapped; BladesOfBarley) so Im cracking a beer I've been saving for a long time now, Avery's The Czar, a Russian Imperial Stout, Batch No.14 Nov 2015. I love nothing more than a good vintage beer, and this one really takes the cake.

The moment you crack this bad boy, aromas of dark chocolate, vanilla and brown sugar fill the air, matching the almost pitch black depth of color. Lacing is thick, but fades with time. What this beer has though, is one thing that many stouts of this strength seem to lack; balance. This beer not only coats the tongue, but it lingers beautifully. Dark fruits, chocolates, vanilla, and the slightest hint of wood (I know, this is not BA).

Beers of this style and this strength definitely benefit from some time in your basement, cellar, or patch of woods (DFH fans know the reference), and this is an excellent cellar dweller. While this batch/year is drinking well now, I can see it improving with a few more years on it. You see this vintage or have the chance to try it, go for it. A true stout lovers dream.

I snagged a bottle when I heard it was going to be discontinued. This batch was from Oct 2014, so it has rested for a good three years before I cracked it open.

L: Little light penetration. A lovely, oily black that rolls in slow waves when jostled around. The head was an inviting tan color, but the retention was not nearly as long as I would have hoped. Decent lacing.

S: The smell is outstanding. Intense roastiness, dark fruit, caramels, chocolates, and Belgian candies can be detected on the nose. Hardly any booze can be detected on a whiff. The only gripe I have with the nose is I would like it to be even stronger, the combination and balance is intoxicating, but I wish it was also overwhelming.

T: Everything present in the aroma is also well represented on the palate. The addition of a distinct coffee note was a pleasant surprise since I did not detect too much on the nose. The taste lingers for quite some time, and there are no off-putting grass like or acrid bittering flavors to taint this lovely profile.

F: The mouthfeel is your standard RIS expectation. It is quite oily as one's eyes can easily detect, with a low medium carbonation. It is a pleasure to sip on.

O: This is a fantastic representation of the style. I would have snagged another a while back if I knew it was going to be this pleasant, especially at its typical price point. What a shame it is no longer being produced. Maybe 3 years aging did it some drastic good, and fresh it was a bit green, but either way, I am glad I was able to experience it.

Pours seal brown with only the barest skim of khaki frogspawn. Dark, earthy aroma smells of molasses, peanut brittle, and peat, with a hint of spicy hops and even some char.

The taste features molasses and toffee up front, well-balanced by the same zesty noble hops suggested by the nose. The back end takes on a fruitier character, with dates and currants moving to the fore. Warming reveals notes of anise and char. Alcohol delivers a pleasant, sophisticated warmth in the finish. Surprisingly heavy body and negligible carbonation deliver a hefty, slightly oily, sticky mouthfeel that's noticeable from the first sip.

Overall, this is a full, complex, and drinkable RIS that delivers on multiple flavor facets of the style at once. Whether you like your stout sweet, roasty, or even fruity, there's something here for everyone.